Sunday, August 20, 2017

Today in Soap Opera History (August 20)

1973: Suzanne Rogers debuted as Maggie on Days of our Lives.
1996: Days' John & Kristen learned she had lost their baby.
2001: As the World Turns' Carly was rescued from quicksand.
2009: One Life to Live's Clint refused to be on reality television.

"History is a vast early warning system."
― Norman Cousins

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1973: Suzanne Rogers debuted as Maggie Simmons in Days of our Lives. In the episode, amnesiac Mickey Horton (John Clarke) stumbled onto Maggie's farm. Rogers, a former Radio City Music Hall Rockette, won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1979 for her work on Days. She is the longest running cast member still on contract the show today (Susan Seaforth Hayes and Bill Hayes debuted on Days before Rogers and still recur--and apparently with a little more frequency this fall).

In a 2011 interview with We Love Soaps, Rogers spoke about winning the Emmy, and how the process changes have made a big difference in who wins the awards these days.

"When I won my Emmy in 1979, all the producers and directors were allowed to vote for the categories because technically the producers and most of the directors see everybody's work," she explained. "I think the minute they limited it for actors just voting for actors, it got to be a very political system. That's not really what it's all about. It's about the work, what's being put up on the screen."

1976: On Another World, Clarice Hobson, pregnant with Robert Delaney's (Nicholas Coster) baby, was threatened by Robert's estranged wife, Iris (Beverlee McKinsey), who ordered her to leave town. While trying to flee her boarding house, Clarice went into labor. End credits rolled during her hospital labor. The unmarried Clarice delivered a son, Cory, on August 23.

Thanks to Scott for sending in the item above.

1984: On The Edge of Night, Sky (Larkin Malloy) and Raven (Sharon Gabet) were determined to keep their family together, despite her being accused of Logan's murder.

1986: On Another World, Brittany (Sharon Gabet) tried to avoid Peter's sexual advances by pulling a gun on him.

1993:The Young and the Restless star Jeanne Cooper received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. When she passed away in May 2013 fans placed flowers on her star.

1996: On Days of our Lives, John Black (Drake Hogestyn) tried to comfort Kristen DiMera (Eileen Davidson), who was in the hospital distraught about her baby. Later, the doctor revealed that the baby had not survived.

1996: On General Hospital, Robin (Kimberly McCullough) and Jason (Steve Burton) shared a romantic day in Montauk.

2001: On As the World Turns, Jack (Michael Park) told Julia (Annie Parisse) he loved her in order to take her gun away and save Carly (Maura West), who was drowning in quicksand.

2006:The Bold and the Beautiful's Jacob Young performed the final time as Lumiere in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" on Broadway after a three month run. Young was starring in All My Children at the time.

2009:One Life to Live, Clint Buchanan (Jerry verDorn) pulled a gun on David Vickers (Tuc Watkins) after David showed up with a reality television crew.

2012: Actress Phyllis Diller died at age 95. She famously guest-starred Marcy's (Marisa Tomei) Fairy Godmother on As the World Turns and in The Bold and the Beautiful as Gladys Pope.